Racing
Ladbrokes Blog: 2025 Civic Stakes Day Preview
Ten races at Randwick on Saturday, June 21st are headlined by the running of the Civic Stakes.
For more racing and sports previews, visit the Ladbrokes Blog.
The Civic Stakes remains one of the highlights of the Sydney winters and a classy field has been confirmed again in 2025, including the likes of Willaidow, Warnie, Whinchat and Headley Grange.
You can find my Civic Stakes tips and remaining Randwick best bets below.
Race 1 - 11am: Midway Handicap (1600m)
Aix En Provence faces a rise in class but is open to plenty of improvement.
The Shalaa gelding has been a consistent performer for Sara Ryan since debuting and returned from a spell to record a dominant three-and-a-half length victory at Newcastle earlier this month.
Getting out to the mile this week suits, and he is proven on the soft going.
1 Unit Aix En Provence
BET NOW: Randwick Race 1
Race 2 - 11:35am: Highway Handicap (1200m)
Calico Miss gets a deserved crack at a Highway race this week.
The Stirling Osland-trained filly has only made three appearances at the races so far, but she has hardly put a hoof wrong, winning twice and only just missing on the other occasion.
Importantly, all three of her races have been on soft going, while she gets into this race well under the conditions.
2 Units Calico Miss
BET NOW: Randwick Race 2
Race 3 - 12:10pm: Quayclean Handicap (1300m)
There is a case to be made for a few of them in this contest, including Secure.
Secure has returned to the races a vastly improved horse this time, breaking his maiden easily at Canterbury first up and repeating the dose in BM72 company last time out.
This is harder, but he's open to further improvement, he won his only other start on the soft, and he has drawn ideally under Nash Rawiller.
2 Units Secure
BET NOW: Randwick Race 3
Race 4 - 12:45pm: Elite Sand & Soil Handicap (1800m)
She's Unusual is third up and primed to strike.
The five-year-old daughter of Unusual Suspect couldn't have done a lot more without winning in BM78 company on the Kensington track when resuming, while she was last seen filling the minors behind a very impressive Miss Kim Kar here last month.
With further improvement and importantly, getting further out in trip this week, she looks beautifully placed.
2 Units She's Unusual
BET NOW: Randwick Race 4
Race 5 - 1:20pm: QMS Media Handicap (1600m)
I'm keen to stick with Miss Kim Kar when she steps out on Saturday.
Miss Kim Kar filled the minors at each of her first two runs back from a break and proved too good for a classy field here two runs back.
She flashed late to finish within a head of the winner over this route at her latest, and in peak condition this week, I'm confident she can bounce back.
3 Units Miss Kim Kar
BET NOW: Randwick Race 5
Race 6 - 1:55pm: The Living Turf Handicap (1800m)
Zaphod is another galloper whom I'm eager to give another chance on Saturday.
Having returned to action with an eye-catching effort behind a fit and in-form Les Vampires in late April, he was too bad to be true last time out and looked to be suffering from a little 'second up syndrome'.
Putting a line through that run, he's a horse that is proven here at Randwick, proven on the soft and should relish getting back to 1800m.
2 Units Zaphod
BET NOW: Randwick Race 6
Race 7 - 2:30pm: Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1000m)
I'm going to have something on Hi Dubai second up in this contest.
Hi Dubai took up the running in a race not dissimilar to this one fresh a fortnight ago and was only run down in the final strides by a fit and in form Storm The Ramparts.
She strips fitter and is a winner at this point of herpreparation previously, while she takes plenty of weight from Storm The Ramparts this week.
2 Units Hi Dubai
BET NOW: Randwick Race 7
Race 8 - 3:05pm: Traffic Warden @ Darley Handicap (1400m)
Oh Diamond Lil is third up and can bounce back.
The So You Think mare was eye-catching on her way to winning at Scone on Dark Jewel Classic Day fresh from a break, but she's another one that just looked out of sorts and never a chance second up a fortnight ago.
She's missed placing once in five goes on a soft track, she's perfectly placed in a race like this one, and she's open to further improvement.
2 Units Oh Diamond Lil
BET NOW: Randwick Race 8
Race 9 - 3:45pm: Listed Civic Stakes (1400m)
There are several talented horses engaged in this year's Civic Stakes, but I thought it looked a perfect black type target for Headley Grange.
Headley Grange didn't finish worse than second in five trips to the races last time in, winning twice and finding form around some talented opposition.
Having returned to action for an eye-catching win in BM94 company over 1300m here a fortnight ago, he strips fitter, and I can't find a reason why he won't be in the finish again.
2 Units Headley Grange
BET NOW: Randwick Race 9
Race 10 - 4:25pm: Switzerland @ Coolmore Handicap (1200m)
Contemporary is second up and open to improvement into the last on Civic Stakes Day.
Contemporary wasn't disgraced in featured company last time in, and after finishing around four lengths off the pace in the Listed Ortensia Stakes first up from a break, he was last seen filling the minors of the Bob Charley AO Stakes here a fortnight ago.
With further improvement and dropping in class, I'm confident he can overcome topweight and win.
1 Unit Contemporary
